1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a connector and especially to a cable side connector disposed at an end of a cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cable side connector is connected to a board side connector mounted on an end of a printed board of an electronic device.
Today, regarding the cable side connector, it is required that the number of components thereof be reduced and a narrower pitch be supported.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional cable side connector 10 and a board side connector 40 for connecting thereto. The cable side connector 10 is disposed by connecting to an end of a cable 11 and is used by connecting to the board side connector 40 mounted on an end of a printed board 41 of an electric device.
The cable side connector 10 includes a connector module 12 disposed in a shield cover assembly 30.
As shown in FIG. 2, the connector module 12 includes a printed board 20 attached to a contact assembly 13.
As shown in FIG. 3, the contact assembly 13 includes, a pair of signal contacts 15-1 and 15-2, and a plate-like ground contact 16 press-fitted into a molded component 14 from the rear thereof. In the molded component 14, the signal contacts 15-1 and 15-2 and the ground contact 16 are arranged in a plate-like portion 14a protruding forward. This portion is configured to be an insert portion 18 and inserted into the board side connector 40. Terminal portions 15-1a, 15-2a, and 16a are arranged behind the molded component 14 in a protruding manner.
The printed board 20 includes a signal pattern 21 and a ground pattern 22 in an upper surface and a lower surface. The signal pattern 21 has plural lines arranged in parallel. The rest portion includes the ground pattern 22.
In the printed board 20, a front end thereof is fitted into a groove portion 14b of the molded component 14, ends of the signal pattern 21 are soldered with the terminal portions 15-1a, 15-2a, and an end of the ground pattern 22 is soldered with the terminal portion 16a. 
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-059593
The aforementioned cable side connector 10 requires the contact assembly 13, the printed board 20, and the shield cover assembly 30, so that many components are used.
The manufacturing of the contact assembly 13 requires a step for press-fitting multiple signal contacts 15-1 and 15-2 and ground contacts 16 into the molded component 14 and poses a problem in that the manufacturing is rather complicated.
The pitch of the contacts is determined in accordance with the forming accuracy of through-holes for the signal contacts and the ground contacts and of the groove portion in the molded component 14. However, when the pitch resulting from the through-holes and the groove portion is narrowed, the mechanical strength of the molded component 14 is reduced. In addition, a crack may be generated upon press-fitting the contacts, so that the molded component 14 is unsuitable for the narrowed pitch.
Further, the ground contact 16 has a press-cut surface as a contact surface and thus poses a problem in that insertion/withdrawal life is reduced.